“Our spirit persists like a man struggling”
through the frozen valley
who suddenly smells flowers…
Jack Gilbert was an American poet born on February 18, 1925, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. After a modest upbringing in a working-class family, Gilbert developed a deep appreciation for literature and the arts during his teenage years. He attended Peabody High School and later earned a scholarship to the University of Pittsburgh, where he studied under acclaimed poet Samuel Hazo.
Gilbert's breakthrough came with the publication of his first collection, "Views of Jeopardy," in 1962, which won the Yale Younger Poets Prize and catapulted him into the literary spotlight. His poetry was characterized by its stark, unembellished language and profound introspection, often exploring themes of love, loss, and the human condition. Despite his early success, Gilbert chose a life of relative seclusion, spending significant time in Greece and Denmark, away from the literary world’s hustle.
Throughout his career, Gilbert published several notable collections, including "Monolithos" (1982), which won the Stanley Kunitz Prize, and "The Great Fires" (1994), which further cemented his reputation as one of the key poets of his generation. His later works, such as "Refusing Heaven" (2005) and "The Dance Most of All" (2009), continued to receive critical acclaim.
Jack Gilbert passed away on November 13, 2012, in Berkeley, California, leaving behind a legacy marked by his deeply emotional and contemplative poetic voice.